Vivo X300 Ultra: Best ultrawide lens in uncompromising Zeiss camera system

After Vivo product manager Han Boxiao provided an in-depth look at the strengths of the 35mm main camera and the improved 200MP telephoto lens, the ultrawide camera is now in the spotlight. In a recent Weibo post, it was revealed that the 14mm ultrawide lens will receive surprisingly few specification changes compared with its still-unmatched predecessor in the X200 Ultra. Many had expected Vivo to adopt the Sony LYT-828 sensor, used in the Vivo X300 Pro’s main camera. Instead, the company is retaining the Sony LYT-818 for this generation’s Ultra model. Whilst the two sensors share the same 1/1.28-inch size, it’s naturally disappointing that the 2026 Ultra model won’t benefit from the LYT-828’s improved dynamic range.

That said, Han Boxiao did hint at other upgrades to the ultrawide camera. For example, the CIPA level has been raised from 5.0 to 6.0 as part of a renewed focus on delivering better video quality for the Vivo X300 Ultra. Though this may not be as impressive as the telephoto lens’ CIPA 7.0, the Vivo X300 Ultra remains unrivalled in wide-angle photography thanks to its optical image stabilisation and the largest ultrawide sensor in any smartphone – even without a sensor upgrade. The internal view shared by Vivo also appears to harbour a hidden detail, not redacted with a black box but rather obscured with a pair of colourful sunglasses, possibly hinting at a new multispectral sensor. This detail will likely be revealed on 10 March.